Prospect Talent Score

Probability of Success

History

2009-10: Nick Ebert played for the USHL’s Waterloo Black Hawks following an impressive performance at USA Hockey’s Select 15 Development Camp in July. In 53 games with Waterloo he scored 6 goals with 12 assists and was an even plus/minus with 26 penalty minutes. The Black Hawks reached the playoffs after finishing fourth in the East Division but were swept by eventual Clark Cup champion Green Bay in the first round. In three playoff games Ebert scored 1 goal and was minus-two. He was selected by Mississauga St. Michael’s in the first round (17th overall) of the 2010 OHL Priority Draft.

2010-11: Ebert jumped from the USHL to the OHL – joining the two-time defending Memorial Cup champion Windsor after a trade between the Spitfires and Mississauga St. Michael’s. Playing alongside Ryan Ellis, the OHL’s top scorer amongst defensemen, Ebert had a solid first year. Ebert played 64 games for the Spitfires and was minus-two with 11 goals and 30 assists and had 44 penalty minutes. Windsor finished second in the West Division and advanced to the conference finals. In 18 playoff games Ebert scored 1 goal with 2 assists and was minus-two with 6 penalty minutes.

2011-12: Ebert had an up-and-down season in his second year with Windsor as the Spitfires slipped to fourth in the West and were swept by London in the first round of the playoffs. In 66 games for the Spitfires he scored 6 goals with 33 assists and was minus-two with 58 penalty minutes. In the four game series with the Knights he had 2 assists and was minus-three with 8 penalty minutes. Ebert was invited to the NHL Draft Combine and ranked 96th amongst North American skaters in Central Scouting’s final rankings prior to the 2012 NHL Draft.

2012-13: Ebert made his debut in pro hockey — joining the ECHL’s Ontario Reign following his third OHL season with Windsor. In four regular season games he had 3 assists and was +3 with 2 penalty minutes. The Reign finished first in the Pacific Division and reached the second round in the playoffs. Ebert scored 2 goals with 5 assists and was +2 in 10 playoff games. He was one of three players to appear in all 68 games for Windsor and led Spitfires’ defensemen with 38 points. He scored 11 goals with 27 assists and had 58 penalty minutes and finished with a team-worst -39 plus/minus. The Spitfires missed the OHL playoffs after finishing fifth in the West Division.

Talent Analysis

Ebert, once a top-rated 2012 draft prospect, fell out of favor as the 2011-12 season progressed. The positives for Ebert are his skating ability and his booming shot, but he does not seem to use either effectively. Ebert seems to lack the hockey sense necessary to be even a middling defender at this point, although there is still talent there that could develop into something. He has to be better in his own zone and learn to make better use of his strengths.

Future

Ebert ended last season with the Ontario Reign after what you could consider a tough year with Windsor. The Spitfires missed the 2012-13 playoffs and Ebert posted dismal plus-minus numbers. He will return to Windsor for 2013-14 and try to improve on his defensive numbers yet again.

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Photo: Defenseman Nick Ebert, acquired via trade in December, led the Storm defense in scoring during the club’s OHL Championship run and trip to the Memorial Cup final (courtesy of Aaron Bell/OHL Images)

The Los Angeles Kings are in the midst of a deep playoff run, one that is eerily similar to their 2011-12 cup run. Outside of that though, there have been a ton of prospects competing with the Los Angeles Kings prospect tag by their name in all of the playoff competitions across the globe.

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Photo: London Knights defenseman and Buffalo Sabres prospect Nikita Zadorov didn’t look out of place during seven NHL games played in the early portion of the 2013-14 season, but returned to the Knights following the 2014 World Junior Championship (courtesy of Claus Andersen/Getty Images)

The OHL has long been known for its ability to pump out marquee offensive talent, but don’t sell the league short on the blueline. This year’s elite draft-eligible defensemen, like Aaron Ekblad and Roland McKeown, have a number of role models within the league whose path they can follow to the draft podium and beyond.